Power banks, also known as Battery Packs, serve as an “extra battery” or external charger for your mobile phone or other electronic devices. In a digitally-connected world we live in today, it is no surprise that the most useful and important gadget of them all has got to be a power bank. They have come a long way since the early days when they were not as useful as today.

What’s the best power bank? [Photo: PC Advisor]

Mobile phones get so much faster every time a new one is released, but sad to say, battery life doesn’t seem to compete. Or worst, get any better. If you need to keep your smartphones – or tablets or other USB-powered devices – going all day while you’re on-the-go, you definitely need to get a power bank on hand.

We’ve rounded up some tips on how to choose the best power banks.

7 Tips on how to choose the best Power Banks

1) Know your device battery size and the specifications of your smartphone charging process. Learning about the capacity of the device battery (represented by mAh; or milliAmpere hour), and the voltage requirements. You can find this information printed on the battery, on your phone’s charger, or on the box that came with your device when you purchased it.

2) The power bank that you buy should at least have the same size as our device battery. Considering this will ensure you that the battery gets fully charged at least once with the power bank. You can also check your phone battery health to know if it’s the phone battery that needs replacing.

To check your phone battery health, do the following:

For Android devices, dial *#*#4636#*#* and it will open a hidden Android menu. Then, tap the Battery Information option.

For Apple devices, go to Settings > Privacy > Diagnostics & Usage > Diagnostic & Usage Data. Look for a log file that starts with ‘LowBatteryLog…’. If you select it, you will be able to see some additional information about your battery. Otherwise, you can download an app or visit an Apple Store near you so they can process a test.

3) Power Bank Output voltage is the key. The output voltage of the power bank must be equal to or higher than that of your device.

4) Consider the number of charging ports. Depending on the number of devices you carry with you, look for the number of ports and cables that come with your power bank. This will let you charge more than one device at a time, saving you time and saving money for not buying too many power banks.

5) Check if the power bank has power-cut capabilities. To ensure the safety of your costly devices, choose a power bank that comes with a power-cut feature which will be useful in times of a short circuit.

6) Also check if the power bank has auto-cut feature. For a longer life of your power bank, check if your power bank has the auto-cut feature. This is to prevent it from getting overcharged.

7) Go for brand and price. It is very useful to spend a little more to save you further costs. Always consider buying the product with trusted brands from trusted resellers. If you missed this, a power bank might cost you your beloved smartphone.